News

07.09.09

Bank Holiday pt1

August. The Great British Bank Holiday. The last bastion of summer, synonymous with lay ins, gardening, family gatherings and- as if the country needed an excuse- drinking. The August Bank Holiday marks the end of fun for another year. Although the on the horizon there is the daunting academic routine looms for the school children, there is reason for celebration. The last week of August has been full of adventures and the Leeds and Reading festivals. A rotating festival bill that splits the country into a patriotic north south divide, each side claiming to create the best atmosphere , with rivalry matched only by General Grant’s Yankees and General Lee’s Dixies in the American Civil War.

I rendezvoused with the crew at Brixton for their festival warm up show. Not officially the Bank Holiday yet; but the atmosphere certainly felt like it. Even at 1pm on a Wednesday afternoon a large congregation of ticket holders braved the elements to secure their place at the front of the queue. Rumours were rife about Them Crooked Vultures supporting, so who could blame them for wanting to get the best spot. The dedication of the fans never ceases to amaze us, especially the French fan club element who seem to have had a representation at pretty much every show so far on this tour. Tonight they displayed their love for Timm Cleasby, Arctic Monkeys’ long-suffering tour manager. I’m not at all aggrieved at the lack of any such banner for me.

The new album featured heavily in the new set, which is the best material they have recorded in my own personal and somewhat unbiased opinion. It was a delight to hear Cornerstone and My Propeller seamlessly sewed into a mix of their old hits. The gig itself was a banger. Hot, sweaty and loud. My film shooting position in front of the stage side fills was most unwise and my ears rang for a good half hour after the show, and before anyone comments, yes I was wearing foam earplugs too.

After a dimly lit after show, we followed the weather and headed north to the infamous Leeds Festival. After an immense gig that was thoroughly enjoyed by all, including the large entourage of friends and family, we headed off to Reading to play ping pong and the headline slot on Saturday night.

Marking the momentousness of the weekend and partly due to the vast quantity of film that was shot, I have created a trilogy of cinematic treats for your aural and visual satisfaction. The View from the Bank Holiday follows us around the UK chronologically. We had some right laughs along the way and even had time to fit in a couple of gigs too.